The Lakers exploded for 36 points in the fourth quarter to overcome an 11-point deficit with 11:14 left to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks, 101-93, on Friday night at Staples Center for their third consecutive victory.

Ranking the 30 teams in the NBA. Last week’s ranking in parentheses; statistics are through Friday’s games:
1. GOLDEN STATE: Played only two home games in February but still finished the month with an 8-3 record. (1)
2. MEMPHIS: Since...

As soon as Lakers Coach Byron Scott took his seat on the team's bus Wednesday night as it pulled out of the EnergySolutions Arena parking lot in Salt Lake City, he checked his Instagram account and saw some comments from fans that really annoyed him....

Here are five takeaways from the Lakers' 100-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
1.) There was a nice little showdown between rookie point guards Jordan Clarkson of the Lakers and Dante Exum of the Utah Jazz.
Clarkson, who was drafted in...

The Lakers (15-41) will try to keep their winning streak alive on Friday night at Staples Center, hosting the Milwaukee Bucks (32-25).
After wins over the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz, the Lakers draw an Eastern Conference playoff team in the Bucks,...

Rookie guard Jordan Clarkson helped the Lakers win their second consecutive game on Wednesday night in Utah against the Jazz by scoring a career-high 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting.
Clarkson took over the starting duties at point guard on Jan. 23 against the San Antonio Spurs. In 13 games as a starter, Clarkson has scored in double figures in nine, averaging 13.6 points a game.
"I'm getting into my pull-up [jumper], being able to work off screens, finding guys," said Clarkson about his recent...

NEW YORK Lost in the flurry of a record 39 players traded among 17 teams on Thursday's NBA deadline day was this: Five players from the first round of the 2011 draft class have been dealt in the past two months.
Included in that figure is Iman Shumpert, who the New York Knicks essentially gave to the Cavs last month. Shumpert and J.R. Smith make their return to Madison Square Garden on Sunday, when the Cavs play the Knicks. Those two and Timofey Mozgov are what helped turn around this once-floundering...

Lakers 100 - Utah Jazz 97 (end of regulation)
The Lakers won their second-straight game, beating the Jazz in Utah on Wednesday night overcoming a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Elijah Millsap's driving layup with 11:15 left in the game put the Jazz up 82-69. Over a seven-minute span, the Lakers pulled ahead on a Jordan Clarkson layup 90-88, a 21-6 run.
Clarkson finished with a career-high 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting, along with three assists in 34 minutes. Wayne Ellington notched his first...

The No. 8 seeds suddenly look like more than first-round fodder.
Oklahoma City and Miami were two of the biggest winners on trade deadline day, making themselves not only strong enough to hold off the teams behind them, but perhaps challenge the ones way ahead.
Even the powerful ones they could meet to open the postseason.
The Heat were certainly talking big after acquiring Goran Dragic from Phoenix.
"We are incredibly pleased to take another step in getting the Miami Heat back to real championship...

The Lakers announced Monday that Nick Young and Robert Sacre had MRI tests that didn't disclose any serious injuries.
Young had swelling in his left knee that began to bother him after the Lakers' overtime victory over Boston on Sunday night.
Sacre tried to practice Monday, but Coach Byron Scott said the center felt a sharp pain in his left foot and had to stop.
The Lakers don't play until Wednesday at Utah, giving Young and Sacre another day to rest. Still, the Lakers said each will be listed as...

Lakers Coach Byron Scott said small forward Nick Young will not play Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz because of a swollen left knee.
Young didn’t participate in the team’s shootaround Wednesday morning in preparation for the game at EnergySolutions Arena.
Young said the knee began to bother him after Sunday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, and he didn't practice Monday or Tuesday.
“It’s better,” Scott said. “But it’s still some swelling...